Choosing the right tiles for your home is one of the most important aspects of home renovation. Furniture and decor may go unnoticed, but your home’s walls and flooring are immediately apparent the second you step into a room.
Consider These Factors
You’ll want to consider the following variables before selecting tiles for a room:
- Room Size
- Colour
- Room Theme & Decor
The size of the room should impact your chosen tile size. Certain tiles, such as large format tiles can create the illusion of space, as do lighter colours. If you want to create a sense of intimacy in a larger room, dark coloured tiles can achieve that. In contrast, lighter colours are ideal in small rooms to create the illusion of more space.
When it comes to choosing tile colour, cleaning and maintenance are a factor. Intuitively, you would think white tiles require the most cleaning because they reveal the smallest speck of dirt. While it’s true dark tiles can mask dirt, it also makes it more difficult to spot where the tile needs to be cleaned. Decide if you would rather spot clean or mop the entire kitchen.
Finally, when selecting a tile, you need to think about the big picture. This means thinking about every other aspect of your living area. What does the decor look like? Is there a beach theme in your bathroom? Are you going for a country home aesthetic? In that case, you should incorporate hardwood or wood-like tiles.
Materials
At Tilemall, we offer the following range of tile materials:
- Porcelain and ceramic tiles
- Natural stone
- Marble
Marble is incredibly versatile in that it always looks elegant and marble effect tiles work in any room. It's also very durable and has excellent light-reflecting properties. This is a great material to use in rooms where you need to create the appearance of more space. Opt for lighter coloured marble tiles.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are ideal for bathrooms. Porcelain is nearly waterproof and ceramic tiles are non-slip. Since porcelain is denser and less porous, this is ideal for bathroom flooring.
Ceramic is a great tile to use for bathroom floors or walls and is available in many different designs. While porcelain and ceramic tiles are similar materials, ceramic is a more budget-friendly option.
Tile Trends
- Choosing a contrasting grout colour to emphasize lines & design
- Textile tiles to add depth
- 3D tiles to create texture
Choosing Tiles for Walls & Floors
Bathroom: Large tiles on walls require less grouting, but small tiles can offer an artistic touch to a bathroom. The smaller the tiles are, the more grout lines there will be, which means more cleaning and can be too busy in a small bathroom. Large floor tiles also create a feeling of spaciousness in small bathrooms.
Kitchen: If the bulk of your kitchen is a solid light colour like white or cream, decorative tiles are a great way to incorporate a splash of colour. These are best incorporated into your kitchen via a kitchen backsplash. Stand out colours and patterns will turn people’s attention to this focal point and create a fun burst of creativity.
Mosaic tiles: They are an excellent choice for kitchen backsplashes. They're a kaleidoscope of colour and intricate patterns that are stunning when contrasted with a solid neutral-toned kitchen. At Tile Mall, we offer a large range of mosaic styles, from Herringbone and Hexagon to Diamond and Baroque.
The Bottom Line
Keeping in mind the general tile trends and the atmosphere of your surroundings, the best tile for your home is the one you choose. While it can be helpful to colour coordinate your tile with your furniture or decor, if you’re going for something modern, random pops of colour can be all the more exciting.
Take a look at our online store for our selection of floor tiles and wall tiles and decide what stands out to you. At Tile Mall, we offer up to 5 free tile samples so you can see how they’d compliment your home for yourself.
